Month: January 2012

It has recently come to my attention that someone from the site, RoyaltyGossip.com, has been re-blogging my silly ass writings to their site for the past several months. Unfortunately, the person who runs the site has an invalid Email address so I cannot contact him/her privately. As a result, I have to say it here. So, whomever owns Royalty Gossip please stop. I would appreciate it.

On January 31, 2012, Her Royal Highness Princess Maxima of the Netherlands was in Amsterdam to attend the opening of the project Open Inloop Taal on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of Cybersoek.

According to the Dutch online newspaper, Nieuws van Nederland, Open Inloop Taal project/program provides “…local residents who want to improve their Dutch reading, writing and language skills…” at the Cybersoek. The latter offers computer courses to people of all ages as well as provides a place where the local people can meet and network. Click here to view photos.

Afterward, the princess attended the Women Entrepreneurs Conference in Den Haag. As a member of the Committee for Entrepreneurship and Financing it was her duty and pleasure to attend this event which “…mentors and aims at encouraging more success and growth for female entrepreneurs…” in the Netherlands.

Meanwhile, on January 30, 2012, Princess Clotilde of Venice and Piedmont attended the AVEC gala benefit dinner held at the gorgeous Château de Versailles. The event, organized by Professor David Khayat, was attended by royal historian, Stéphane Bern, model Tasha de Vasconcelos, François Pinault, Sylvie Tellier, and Pierre Hermé to name a few. Click here to view photos.

On January 31, 2012, His Royal Highness Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg attended the swearing-in of Mr Etienne Schneider, the new Minister of Economy and Foreign Trade, held at the Palais Grand-Ducal.

Meanwhile, on January 30, 2012, His Royal Highness Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg continues his adventures in Brussels, Belgium. The heir to the grand-ducal throne participated in various meetings with members of the Committee of Permanent Representatives and the Political and Security Committee of the European Union.

To learn more about Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume’s working visit in Brussels please visit the site, Luxarazzi Luxembourg, here.

On January 31, 2012, Their Majesties King Albert II and Queen Paola along with Their Royal Highness Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde, T.I.R.H.s Princess Astrid and Prince Lorenz, and T.R.H.s Princess Claire and Prince Laurent “Look at Me! I’m Annoying” of Belgium attended yet another New Year’s reception held at the Palais de Bruxelles.

According to the official website for the royal house, La Monarchie Belge, the reception was held for “…prominent authorities and public personalities…” which included Belgian Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo, French Community and Walloon Minister President Rudy Demotte, Flemish Minister-President Kris Peeters, Vice-Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Didier Reynders, as well as other ministers and magistrates in Belgium.

Here is the recent BBC Four documentary entitled, Illuminations: The Private Lives of Medieval Kings. The program tells the story of the Medieval monarchy:

…as preserved through stunning illuminated manuscripts from the British Library’s Royal Manuscripts collection which contains some of the most priceless documents in our national history. Some of these manuscripts were commissioned by the Medieval Kings to burnish their legacies. Others were captured as war booty, and handed down from one dynasty to the next. Together they make up a fascinating record of the role of the king and the role of the country as it became a major power at the heart of Europe.

On January 27, 2012, Their Serene Highnesses Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco attended mid-morning Mass at the Cathédrale de Monaco in celebration of Sainte-Dévote.

The couple, along with hundreds participants, were celebrating the patron saint of Monaco and of the Grimaldi family. Following the Mass there was a procession to the Palais Princier de Monaco whereupon the Archbishop blessed the Palais for luck, love, and harmony. Afterward, the princely couple appeared on the balcony of the Palais where they waved to the crowds and then said a prayer.

On January 25, 2012, His Royal Highness Prince Carl Philip of Sweden attended the 2012 Årets Kock (Chef of the Year) Award held at the Stockholm Waterfront. The winner of the award receives the Gastronomic Academy Dairy Medal and the title of, well, Chef of the Year. The winner this year was Klas Lindberg.

Meanwhile, His Royal Highness Prince Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy revealed to an Italian magazine that he had a tumor up his nose.

In early December 2011, the Italian prince without a throne was hospitalized in Geneva to remove the problem and as a result the doctors “…removedthree quarters of the cartilage in his nose and part of his bone…” Today, Prince Emanuele is doing great and continues to film his reality show which airs in Italy. To read more about the prince’s hospital stay in Geneva please click here.

On January 26, 2012, Their Serene Highnesses Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene along with Her Royal Highness Princess Caroline of Hanover and her daughter, Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra of Hanover, attended the celebration of the Festival of Sainte-Dévote, the patron saint of the Princely Family of Monaco, the Monégasques, and the Diocese of Monaco. Sainte-Dévote is also the patron saint of the island of Corsica.

Here is the story/legend of Sainte-Dévote:

Tradition holds that she was a Corsican woman born around 283 AD at Mariana. A young virgin, she had decided to devote herself fully to the service of God. By order of the prefect Barbarus, she was imprisoned and tortured for her faith. She was martyred at Mariana by being stoned to death.

After her death, the governor of the province ordered for her body to be burnt to prevent its veneration. However, it was saved from the flames by Christians. Her body was placed on a boat bound for Africa. Gratianus (Graziano), the boat’s pilot; Benedict (Benenato), a priest; and Apollinaris, his deacon; believed it would receive proper Christian burial there. However, a storm overtook the boat and a dove flew out from the mouth of the saint. The dove guided the boat to present-day Les Gaumates, today part of the Principality of Monaco, where a chapel dedicated to Saint George already stood.

Her body was discovered by fishermen. In her honor a chapel was built, which stands in Monaco still. Traditionally, flowers are said to bloom before their season on January 27, the saint’s feast day.

This evening the Princely family of Monaco along with the Monégasques and members of the Diocese of Monaco participated in a torchlight ceremony in front of the Sainte-Dévote church. A boat is placed in front of the little church whereupon the Princely family along with other attendees set the boat ablaze and celebrate.

Tomorrow, — per tradition — the princely family will attend a traditional Mass at the Cathédrale de Monaco then a balcony wave from the Palais Princier de Monaco.

On January 26, 2012, Her Royal Highness Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands participated in the symposium entitled, Leesbevordering: Dat doet de bieb! (Promotion of Reading: The Library Does), in Amsterdam.

As honorary president of the Association of Public Libraries (VOB) the princess gave a speech regarding the importance of libraries which “…improves language development, reading and writing.” Today’s event also honored Professor E. Jurgens who recently retired as the President of the Association of Public Libraries (VOB).

On January 25, 2012, Their Majesties King Albert II and Queen Paola of Belgium along with His Royal Highness Prince Philippe hosted a reception for the Presidents and Vice-Presidents of the European Parliament and Union at the Palais de Bruxelles. Other representatives from various international institutions were also present.

Meanwhile, earlier in the day His Majesty King Albert II held an audience with the President of the European Council, Mr. Herman Van Rompuy.